Dodge 4500 Flat bed hauling gravel without dump trailer?

[piaffepony]

I don’t know how strict the weight nazis are in your area but a 4500 would haul way more than 2 tons. I’m thinking it would handle 5 tons pretty good.

A trooper pulled me over with my dump trailer for not covering my load. It was damp gravel screenings and the tarp thing was bent and a PIA so I skipped it. I was a tad over weight and being a girl, I made some cutesy “so you’re calling me fat?!” jokes along with some “do you always cover your load officer?” innuendos... and drove off with a warning LOL.
I’ll probably try larger loads for the simple fact that it’s the only time my truck rides like a Cadillac instead of a covered wagon. Fingers crossed!

 

[Jstpssng]

I've tried most of the tarp suggestions mentioned hauling compost and always end up shoveling it out by hand after destroying the tarp. The chain link fence idea might work though. Good luck.

 

[Sigarms]

A trooper pulled me over with my dump trailer for not covering my load. It was damp gravel screenings and the tarp thing was bent and a PIA so I skipped it. I was a tad over weight and being a girl, I made some cutesy “so you’re calling me fat?!” jokes along with some “do you always cover your load officer?” innuendos... and drove off with a warning LOL.
I’ll probably try larger loads for the simple fact that it’s the only time my truck rides like a Cadillac instead of a covered wagon. Fingers crossed!

Laugh about it now, but if you get busted, don't compain.

 

[Jstpssng]

Laugh about it now, but if you get busted, don't compain.

A ticket is one thing. If the truck is grossly overweight and something unavoidable happens, it wouldn't matter who's at fault. If there are any serious injuries, life as she knows it is over .

 

[4570Man]

Running with 5 tons on a 4500 is probably only a ton over GVW. My 90s 3500HD which isn’t even as heavy built truck is rated up to 9300 pounds payload. It’s a minor overload not a gross overload. I think it’s false emphasis anyway. You better not drive 1 mph faster than the speed limit or touch your cellphone either. Most people are going to do both. How many examples can you find of a driver being not at fault while doing something else wrong and loosing a big lawsuit?

 

[Scrambler82]

Kind of like a rolling/tilt dump bed thing? How do you attach the tarp to the frame though?

I think that's my biggest quandary.. how to attach the tarp to anything with out it ripping.

I said Tarp but... thinking on it, a good piece of rubber would probably work better or chain mesh but there will be more to pick up after the fact.

Attaching to the front of the Skid... to me I would secure the rubber sheet to the outside of the frame, nothing to the bottom of the frame to interfere with the sliding. You would need a Strip of Metal, or Wood, to sandwich the rubber between the Frame and the strip; Hardware to mount the securing Strip should be Bolt-Through, with appropriate Flats and Lock Washers or Locking Nuts.

The height of the Skid can be anything you want or need within reason of the Trail Specs. Again the Pull should be designed to pull on the front panel of the skid, pulling from the rear can cause the unit to pull apart. Also, secure all corners with metal reenforcement.

Again, this is just a quick idea that popped in the old head, I am sure there are others that could refine the idea.

The Skid can be stored separately, leaned up against the barn or shop, can be handled with the tractor, and should slide inside of the trail confines without too much trouble... IF the lines of pull in the trailer are clear and relatively smooth.

What ever you do, good luck with the project !

p.s. I keep thinking on this but maybe no material floor, just the skid, to get the load off.
If you were to build one, try it out without a bottom, should work with some cleaning after the fact.

 

[4570Man]

You are confused. I drove a 2001 F350 SRW Truck with a service body for many years. The GVW was on the order of 9800 lbs. that is gross weight, not net payload. I never weighed it empty because it never was.

A 350 SRW and a 90s 3500HD are a far cry from the same thing.

 

[RickB]

A 350 SRW and a 3500HD are a far cry from the same thing.

I just did a little research and deleted my post. You aren’t far off.

 

[Rebeldad1]

Got rid of my dump trailer. I have all my needed gravel and dirt hauled in. $75.00 12-15 yards depending on material.

never looked back

 

[PineBrookFarm]

I haul 3 tons on my 2010 f350 drw gasser. It’s a flat bed dump 13,000 gvw. Technically 2.5 tons is at the legal limit but the truck doesn’t have any issue driving and stopping it as long as it’s loaded more toward the front of the bed. And that’s only a 1 ton yours should haul more than that.